Simplifying Motherhood + Making Money Blogging

7 Easy Strategies to Help You Boost Your Blog Traffic

What are you doing to boost your blog traffic?

I think it’s safe to say that most bloggers would be happy with more eyes on our blog. None of us would complain if we unexpectedly got 100,000 extra page views tomorrow. If you’re just starting out, even 100 page views gives you that awesome, accomplished feeling!

Forget about the ego-stroke of increasing traffic numbers though, and think about the real benefits of people checking out your blog.

This article probably contains affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure here.

Benefits of Blog Traffic

Authority.

If a lot of people are reading your blog, they must be interested in what you’re saying…which means, they probably believe that you know what the heck you’re talking about. More traffic gives you more authority in your field, because people are listening to you.

Opportunities.

Some sponsored networks and ad networks require you to have a certain amount of monthly traffic to work with them. More traffic will mean more opportunities in cases like these. It’s also helpful to have a specific number to share with brands when you’re pitching your idea or service.

Loyal readers.

I don’t spend a whole lot of time obsessing about my monthly blog traffic, but I do always want to make sure that I’m writing content that is actually helpful to people. If people are sending me “thank you” comments, re-pinning my articles on Pinterest, recommending others to take my course, and joining my Facebook group, then I know I’m building a loyal audience of readers that trust me.

Why Traffic Matters

Traffic isn’t everything, so don’t get down on yourself if your monthly views aren’t into the hundreds of thousands (yet). I know bloggers that make money from their blog with a smaller following, like 10,000 page views a month. Your blogging success is not dependent on tons of traffic.

Your website traffic is just one of the many important indicators that your business is moving forward, instead of just sitting still.

So, why does it matter?

If your website traffic is not increasing, then no one is looking at your blog. If no one is looking at your blog, how can you expect to make money from it? Remember those sponsored opportunities and loyal readers that we talked about a minute ago? Yeah, you need people to visit your blog if you expect to benefit from these things.

It isn’t the traffic itself that we should be concerned about, it’s the growth we should pay attention to.

How to Boost Your Blog Traffic TODAY

Let’s talk about (7) strategies that you can use to boost your blog traffic today. These strategies will help you to focus on steady growth and genuine readers, so that your blog can thrive without spending tons of time on promotion.

Know who you are writing for.

I talk about this allll the time, and it would surprise you how many people neglect this important task. You need to know who your potential readers are, and you need to speak to them in your content. Your blog posts, your tutorials, your courses, etc.

If you know who you are writing for, then you will write content that it appealing to them. When you promote this content, they’ll read it, enjoy it, share it, and come back for more in the future…because you’re speaking their language. You’re giving them what they want and need.

It matters.

Don’t take this part lightly. You need to really hone in on your target audience, narrow down your niche, and give some real thought to who you are writing for and what you’re helping them with. Other people might trickle in and enjoy your content too, but no one is going to become a loyal reader unless you’re writing the kind of content they LOVE to read.

I write primarily for mothers that want to simplify life and make money working from home. The majority of my readers are female between 24-40 years of age (thank you Google Analytics)! Most of the people that like, follow, and share my stuff are women and mothers. Most of the people that purchase my course are mothers with small children that want to work from home.

I’m writing for a specific group of people, and I’m reaching them. Other people follow me and read my stuff too. I’ve even had a few guys purchase my course. It’s perfectly fine for other people to take an interest in your work…the more the merrier!

But your focus should be on writing for a specific group of people and filling their specific needs. This strategy will draw “your kind of people” to your blog, and encourage them to follow and share.

Create engaging and interesting blog titles.

A boring blog title just absolutely makes me cringe. You might know who your audience is, you might have great content to share with them, but if your blog title is boring, no one is ever going to open that article or read it.

Write useful, relevant content for your readers.

If you already know who you’re writing for, then this one should be pretty easy for you. Don’t write for you, write for your reader… You can (and should) incorporate your personal stories and experiences into your work, but the main purpose of the article should fill a need for your reader.

What are they interested in? What do they need help with? What’s going on in this phase of their life? Having babies, switching careers, going to college, going through a divorce, etc. What is your audience going through and how can you create useful, relevant content that they will want to read?

Optimize your content for search engines

Also known as search engine optimization (SEO). Every single one of your blog posts should be optimized for search engines, so that people can find your blog when they’re searching for something on Google.

Promoting your stuff online is great, but isn’t it better if people can find you on their own? That means less work for you and less money spent on advertising. Yay-uh.

Quick lesson on SEO:

Search engines use an algorithm to present the most relevant content to the user first. We’ll use Google as our example, since they are the most popular guys out there.

When you type the words “dairy free ice cream” into Google, the search engine algorithm chooses the most relevant (optimal) content and puts that on the first page of search results. I guarantee you’ll find the most popular brand of dairy-free ice cream and some easy DIY recipes on that first page of results.

Optimizing your content means writing in a way that shows the search engines how relevant your content is for the reader. You’ll use a mixture of important keywords, readability, backlinks, and images to show Google that you know what you’re talking about, and that your article will really help the reader who is searching for something on this topic. Whatever the topic may be.

It takes time to build up that SEO juice and make your way to page one of search engines, but it’s an important part of your work as a blogger. And it’s an important part of boosting your blog traffic.

This is another good reason to find yourself a solid niche and write for those readers only. When peole are searching for something specific, you want your blog to come up towards the top of the search results. If you write a general lifestyle blog, it’s going to be much harder to get yourself to the top of search results. If you have a pet grooming blog that focuses on a specific breed or grooming style, there is much less competition, and a much more focused need to fill.

Share your blog link across your social media.

Our focus in this article is helping you boost your blog traffic, and one of the best ways to do that is to put your blog link in front of as many eyes as possible.

I’m talking about your social media accounts, girl.

Make sure your blog link is in your bio line, and peppered throughout your social media pages so that people can click on your blog and read the latest content anytime they want.

Some people hold back from doing this because they don’t want to seem “sales-y” and they don’t want to irritate their family and friends. I don’t blame you at all, because 99% of the time, your family and friends are not your target audience. But at the same time, our social media accounts are designed for us to share our lives with our followers. This goes beyond our family and friends on Facebook.

You should have a business account set up on all of the major platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube, etc.

Your blog link is there for people who want to read your work, and if they don’t want to read, they don’t have to. No pressure!

You have to make things as easy as possible for your readers, meaning they need a clickable link in front of their face if they’re ever going to check out your blog.

Share your blog content in popular Facebook groups.

A lot of bloggers recommend sharing your content in share threads that are designed for bloggers to increase their traffic. This can be helpful, and it definitely gets more eyes on your work, but it’s only half the battle.

Why?

Because these groups are typically filled with other bloggers who are trying to do exactly what you are trying to do: build a business and boost your blog traffic. They aren’t necessarily interested in what you’re publishing, and they aren’t necessarily your target audience. Granted, I have made some wonderful friends and done some fun collaborations that started from these blogging groups.

They are a great resource, but they shouldn’t be your main focus for promotion.

You should also be sharing your expertise in Facebook groups that are full of potential readers or potential clients in your specific niche. If you’re a food blogger, join foodie groups. If you’re a travel blogger, join travel groups. And if you’re a local lifestyle blogger, join local groups in your area.

Sometimes, the group rules don’t allow you to share promotional content, like a specific blog post, but you can always share your expertise and invite people to ask questions.

As an example, a local lifestyle blogger can easily share their experience from a local bar scene or a theme park. Their story and their beautiful pictures can spark an interest without any promoting. Engaging and interacting with people in your niche audience will inevitably lead to people asking questions, checking out your profile, and following your blog.

Remember to be respectful in your behavior and always follow group rules. We’re not trying to scam or deceive people, we’re simply trying to share our expertise with a new audience and get on the radar of our potential readers.

Facebook groups are such a valuable resource for bloggers, so if you’re not using them yet, you should start today. You can join my blogging group here.

Use Pinterest

You didn’t think we’d be walking away from an article about how-to boost your blog traffic without addressing Pinterest, did you?

Pinterest is known as the traffic-generating giant. In fact, more than half of my traffic comes from Pinterest! That means, people see my pins on Pinterest, they follow the link and they read my blog. Yay.

Pinterest is an incredible resource for any blogger, and the traffic that comes from Pinterest is FREE (for now), so it’s time to jump on the bandwagon and boost your blog traffic with this free resource.

If you haven’t done it yet, open up a Pinterest account and start pinning content from your blog. It will be incredibly useful for your blog traffic and building your fanbase.

Wrapping It All Up

Your blog traffic isn’t the most important thing in the world, but it’s a good indicator of what’s working and what’s not. If you have no blog traffic, then you have a problem.

Make sure you’re building a business strategy that is fostering GROWTH, using the 7 strategies we outlined today.

Your website traffic should be growing regularly. It doesn’t have to grow by leaps and bounds, but it should grow.

Now, tell me! What are you doing today to increase and improve your blog traffic? Share in the comments!!

And if you want to follow my step-by-step program for turning your blog into a money-making business in SIX MONTHS or less, sign up here.

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I'm a Lifestyle Blogger and mother of two living in sunny San Diego, California. My mission is to help mothers (and their families) live a beautifully simple life, choosing natural and intentional living instead of just existing. I promote hard work, family-friendly travel, sipping on whiskey, and striving for minimalism. If you can't find me here, you can find me on the beach!

I will be trying to join my Facebook groups in my niche. I do have a Pinterest and I’m trying hard to get a following their but, I think I’m doing something wrong? I’d love a step by step for Pinterest because honestly I haven’t found a very detailed good one yet.

Cate

Hey girl, I will work on a detailed Pinterest strategy article for you, it takes some time to build up traffic from Pinterest. Just keep pinning your content and sharing other people’s content. And do your best to create good looking Pins. Keep it up!

Mary

Cate

You’re so welcome! SEO is a bit intimidating at first, but it’s super important. Good SEO puts your content in front of your ideal reader at the exact moment that they REALLY need you…and that is powerful. We have a whole detailed section on SEO in my blogger training course. Here are the deets: bit.ly/2BynfeX

Cate

Great suggestions. One thing I need to do more is share my posts on my personal Facebook page. I don’t share much at all, but should start from time to time as I know friends/family are curious and want to support.

Cate

Yes, at least include a link to your blog on your personal page, even if you don’t share individual posts. When I help someone out in a business group, and they snoop my page to see what I’m all about, they can click on my bio link and go directly to my blog! It has so much more power than you realize. Thanks for reading!

Cate

SEO is so so so important, it is quite literally the only thing that puts your content in front of your potential client at the moment they need you. Keep working on that SEO, and if you need help, we cover SEO in detail in my blogging course: http://bit.ly/2BynfeX Have a great weekend!

Cate

My blog is only a few weeks old, but I am trying to build traffic! I’ve been trying out Pinterest as well. I have used personal account for years, but it’s different to use an account to promote your blog! I’ve joined some FB groups as well, although I guess I should join more in my niche, single moms. Thank you for the tips!

Cate

Thanks for sharing some easy to implement tips for increasing blog traffic. I can’t speak for anyone else, but getting people coming to our page, engaging with us, and coming is a basic, but important goal of any art, therefore blogs are not excluded. So thanks for offering us ways to do better in this endeavor.

Cate

Writing useful content is something I think a lot of bloggers don’t realize they’re going to have to do. When I started blogging, I thought I could just write funny stories about my life, and people would care. Unfortunately, like you’re saying, you can’t start doing that until you’ve given your readers a reason to care about you, and that would be that you’ve helped them out!

You’ve made a good point which I’m not sure if I should lean back a little or keep pushing for the traffic, I share my blog across most of the group that I’m in and it has a really good reward. I agree with you sharing does work.

Cate

Sharing is good, I know it’s tricky finding that balance and we don’t want to spam people. But putting yourself out there has it’s rewards for sure. Just be gracious and professional and only provide valuable content. Keep it up!

Hey there! I'm Cate, the blogger and mama-of-two behind this site. I write about simple living, surviving motherhood, and making money blogging. My family and I work hard and play hard in San Diego, California. I love sunshine, iced coffee, and positive people. If you can't find me here, you can find me on the beach!